An enthusiastic conservation biologist's life in the sticks & travel adventures.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

thank heaven my doctor has good taste...

May have to temporarily change my name to biohobbler.

Went to doctor’s office today to have him check out my ankle. Happily they shoved me into his packed schedule. Kind of them.

I must say he has the BEST magazines. Read Smithsonian (African lions, as studied by researcher based deep in Midwest) in the waiting room, and was devouring an article on the potential secession of Greenland (aided by global warming, interestingly enough) in Outside mag. when my doctor arrived.

The conclusion is a sprain of some sort of an ankle tendon, no x-ray needed, and that if I keep up the RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation) action and up my ibu a bit, I can at least TRY snowshoeing this weekend, as long as I “have an exit strategy.” I said we’d be bringing sleds…he smiled, and escaped to his other 99 patients.

Nothing like a quick trip to the doctor to make you grateful for your health. Invariably there are people there with MUCH bigger health issues to make me feel grateful.

Plus, they took my blood pressure and it was 110 over 60. SWEET! I actually said that out loud when the nurse told me. I wonder why they tell you your blood pressure but never say your weight or pulse? Is there a reason for that?

Anyhow, hoping for the best, and have surfed web for extra pair of snowshoes to buy to complete our set. LOVE the MSR snowshoes—a-MA-zingly easy to use. I’ve never needed the fins ‘cause the snow out here is so heavy and wet, but we’ll buy them just in case.

Oh, and I’ll bring my camera for SURE so I can show you the Sierran snow and skies.

xoxo biobabbler

P.S. 2 days ago chased either a sharp-shinned or a Cooper's hawk out of the garden. I believe it was going for the little birds there, not my chicken, but nevertheless, continued my "cursed varmint!" vigilance. Cool bird to see, though...